The ISAF made the decision in Italy on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio no windsurfing competition. Both women and man category will change to Kiteboard. The result of the voting was very close 19:17.

Few months ago I read the Kite presentation for the Rio Games. What I felt the weakest point of the Kite is the minimum wind, where Kite have similar problems like Formula Windsurfing few years ago and Formula was out of the competition with this handycap. (By the way with Formula you can go back to the beach when the wind drops to 2-4 knots, with kite you have to swim or need a boat - so not really safety on national competition.)

I have lots of other question marks like the missing international organization, number of nations who will participate, number of competitors overall, how to fits kite competitions into the Euro Olympic tour, where the beaches and the wind conditions not really kite friendly etc...

The Windsurfing Olympic class never was the trend setter of the windsurfing sport, but made wider the interest for sure. In some countries the state support only Olympic classes, so that was an opportunity to get money to finance the youth windsurfing too.

I don’t know what the reason of this decision was "behind the curtain", but I hope the Olympic Windsurfing's history was not this 8 games only...

This train is gone! But... I hope the windsurfing sport (industry, organizations, windsurfers etc) will be able to work out TOGETHER how to go back to 2020! We have four years to build up an unbeatable proposal based on a long term strategy. In my view to have windsurfing on the Olympic Games is not about the industry, about windsurf awareness or about few hundred competitors MAINLY. But first of all the opportunity to bring teenagers into this sport in lots of countries. Poland, France, Germany, Israel, England, China, Italy etc. have already good organization for that with “pre-olympic classes” and this kids never will try windsurf on any other way.

Beside all of this disappointed thinks I wish good luck and the best for the kiters for the next four years!

There might be other initiatives in the making. According to the web-site: "a 2 third majority at the ISAF annual meeting in november can overrule this decision - keep signing and get our opinion heard."

Rory gebi and mr neilpryde raped olympic windsurfing with rsx truck stuff everybody knows it is a horrible design i can easily beat any number one in the world with mistral one design they couldnt evoluate olympic class to formula class they can put 520 mast into their very suitable place İ feel realy sorry for athletes they are really the best in the world

To be honest my view is that I'm not really bothered whether it's in or out. How will it actually affect our sport? Are the manufacturers going to stop making nice kit? No! Will us regular Joe's keep on doing it?Yes! Will development grind to a halt? No!

Has anybody actually seen an exciting olympic class race? They all seem to be done at venue with minimum wind, if it was a supercross event with planning conditions it would be much more exciting to watch!

To follow that on, same thoughts here. I know a lot us are dying to say it too but afraid to offend anyone. Whilst I feel for the likes of Nick Dempsey (top guy) and co who have dedicated their lives to this.

RSX is not really a proper representitive of are wonderful sport. Watching RSX in 5 knot winds is not to exciting to watch or do. We have had super light weight boards that plan in 7k winds, and they choose a 16kg monster??? Kites will also struggle in 3-4 knots, how many safety boats will be needed to rescue kiters drifting, they need 6-7 knots to fly kites, same as formula.

Watching BvD battling with BD in Sylt is exciting, so is Taty or Sarah pulling the last trick, watching AA crack 49k on a canal is exciting or watching Jason on a death wish at Jaws is exciting. Sorry but for me RSX isn't exciting.

I know some will hate me saying all of this, but its a big wide world out there and we all have are own take on these things.